the antiquities of the jews-1-第57章

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18。　Let　it　not　be　esteemed　lawful　to　remove　boundaries；　neither
our　own；　nor　of　those　with　whom　we　are　at　peace。　Have　a　care　you
do　not　take　those　landmarks　away　which　are；　as　it　were；　a　divine
and　unshaken　limitation　of　rights　made　by　God　himself；　to　last
for　ever；　since　this　going　beyond　limits；　and　gaining　ground　upon
others；　is　the　occasion　of　wars　and　seditions；　for　those　that
remove　boundaries　are　not　far　off　an　attempt　to　subvert　the　laws。

19。　He　that　plants　a　piece　of　land；　the　trees　of　which　produce
fruits　before　the　fourth　year；　is　not　to　bring　thence　any
first…fruits　to　God；　nor　is　he　to　make　use　of　that　fruit　himself；
for　it　is　not　produced　in　its　proper　season；　for　when　nature　has
a　force　put　upon　her　at　an　unseasonable　time；　the　fruit　is　not
proper　for　God；　nor　for　the　master's　use；　but　let　the　owner
gather　all　that　is　grown　on　the　fourth　car；　for　then　it　is　in　its
proper　season。　And　let　him　that　has　gathered　it　carry　it　to　the
holy　city；　and　spend　that；　together　with　the　tithe　of　his　other
fruits；　in　feasting　with　his　friends；　with　the　orphans；　and　the
widows。　But　on　the　fifth　year　the　fruit　is　his　own；　and　he　may
use　it　as　he　pleases。

20。　You　are　not　to　sow　with　seed　a　piece　of　land　which　is　planted
with　vines；　for　it　is　enough　that　it　supply　nourishment　to　that
plant；　and　be　not　harassed　by　ploughing　also。　You　are　to　plough
your　land　with　oxen；　and　not　to　oblige　other　animals　to　come
under　the　same　yoke　with　them；　but　to　till　your　land　with　those
beasts　that　are　of　the　same　kind　with　each　other。　The　seeds　are
also　to　be　pure；　and　without　mixture；　and　not　to　be　compounded　of
two　or　three　sorts；　since　nature　does　not　rejoice　in　the　union　of
things　that　are　not　in　their　own　nature　alike；　nor　are　you　to
permit　beasts　of　different　kinds　to　gender　together；　for　there　is
reason　to　fear　that　this　unnatural　abuse　may　extend　from　beasts
of　different　kinds　to　men；　though　it　takes　its　first　rise　from
evil　practices　about　such　smaller　things。　Nor　is　any　thing　to　be
allowed；　by　imitation　whereof　any　degree　of　subversion　may　creep
into　the　constitution。　Nor　do　the　laws　neglect　small　matters；　but
provide　that　even　those　may　be　managed　after　an　unblamable
manner。

21。　Let　not　those　that　reap；　and　gather　in　the　corn　that　is
reaped；　gather　in　the　gleanings　also；　but　let　them　rather　leave
some　handfuls　for　those　that　are　in　want　of　the　necessaries　of
life；　that　it　may　be　a　support　and　a　supply　to　them；　in　order　to
their　subsistence。　In　like　manner　when　they　gather　their　grapes；
let　them　leave　some　smaller　bunches　for　the　poor；　and　let　them
pass　over　some　of　the　fruits　of　the　olive…trees；　when　they　gather
them；　and　leave　them　to　be　partaken　of　by　those　that　have　none　of
their　own；　for　the　advantage　arising　from　the　exact　collection　of
all；　will　not　be　so　considerable　to　the　owners　as　will　arise　from
the　gratitude　of　the　poor。　And　God　will　provide　that　the　land
shall　more　willingly　produce　what　shall　be　for　the　nourishment　of
its　fruits；　in　case　you　do　not　merely　take　care　of　your　own
advantage；　but　have　regard　to　the　support　of　others　also。　Nor　are
you　to　muzzle　the　mouths　of　the　oxen　when　they　tread　the　ears　of
corn　in　the　thrashing…floor；　for　it　is　not　just　to　restrain　our
fellow…laboring　animals；　and　those　that　work　in　order　to　its
production；　of　this　fruit　of　their　labors。　Nor　are　you　to
prohibit　those　that　pass　by　at　the　time　when　your　fruits　are　ripe
to　touch　them；　but　to　give　them　leave　to　fill　themselves　full　of
what　you　have；　and　this　whether　they　be　of　your　own　country　or
strangers；　…　as　being　glad　of　the　opportunity　of　giving　them　some
part　of　your　fruits　when　they　are　ripe；　but　let　it　not　be
esteemed　lawful　for　them　to　carry　any　away。　Nor　let　those　that
gather　the　grapes；　and　carry　them　to　the　wine…presses；　restrain
those　whom　they　meet　from　eating　of　them；　for　it　is　unjust；　out
of　envy；　to　hinder　those　that　desire　it；　to　partake　of　the　good
things　that　come　into　the　world　according　to　God's　will；　and　this
while　the　season　is　at　the　height；　and　is　hastening　away　as　it
pleases　God。　Nay；　if　some；　out　of　bashfulness；　are　unwilling　to
touch　these　fruits；　let　them　be　encouraged　to　take　of　them　（I
mean；　those　that　are　Israelites）　as　if　they　were　themselves　the
owners　and　lords；　on　account　of　the　kindred　there　is　between
them。　Nay；　let　them　desire　men　that　come　from　other　countries；　to
partake　of　these　tokens　of　friendship　which　God　has　given　in
their　proper　season；　for　that　is　not　to　be　deemed　as　idly　spent；
which　any　one　out　of　kindness　communicates　to　another；　since　God
bestows　plenty　of　good　things　on　men；　not　only　for　themselves　to
reap　the　advantage；　but　also　to　give　to　others　in　a　way　of
generosity；　and　he　is　desirous；　by　this　means；　to　make　known　to
others　his　peculiar　kindness　to　the　people　of　Israel；　and　how
freely　he　communicates　happiness　to　them；　while　they　abundantly
communicate　out　of　their　great　superfluities　to　even　these
foreigners　also。　But　for　him　that　acts　contrary　to　this　law；　let
him　be　beaten　with　forty　stripes　save　one　（22）　by　the　public
executioner；　let　him　undergo　this　punishment；　which　is　a　most
ignominious　one　for　a　free…man；　and　this　because　he　was　such　a
slave　to　gain　as　to　lay　a　blot　upon　his　dignity；　for　it　is　proper
for　you　who　have　had　the　experience　of　the　afflictions　in　Egypt；
and　of　those　in　the　wilderness；　to　make　provision　for　those　that
are　in　the　like　circumstances；　and　while　you　have　now　obtained
plenty　yourselves；　through　the　mercy　and　providence　of　God；　to
distribute　of　the　same　plenty；　by　the　like　sympathy；　to　such　as
stand　in　need　of　it。

22。　Besides　those　two　tithes；　which　I　have　already　said　you　are
to　pay　every　year；　the　one　for　the　Levites；　the　other　for　the
festivals；　you　are　to　bring　every　third　year　a　third　tithe　to　be
distributed　to　those　that　want；　（23）　to　women　also　that　are
widows；　and　to　children　that　are　orphans。　But　as　to　the　ripe
fruits；　let　them　carry　that　which　is　ripe　first　of　all　into　the
temple；　and　when　they　have　blessed　God　for　that　land　which　bare
them；　and　which　he　had　given　them　for　a　possession；　when　they
have　also　offered　those　sacrifices　which　the　law　has　commanded
them　to　bring；　let　them　give　the　first…fruits　to　the　priests。　But
when　any　one　hath　done　this；　and　hath　brought　the　tithe　of　all
that　he　hath；　together　with　those　first…fruits　that　are　for　the
Levites；　and　for　the　festivals；　and　when　he　is　about　to　go　home；
let　him　stand　before　the　holy　house；　and　return　thanks　to　God；
that　he　hath　delivered　them　from　the　injurious　treatment　they　had
in　Egypt；　and　hath　given　them　a　good　land；　and　a　large；　and　lets
them　enjoy　the　fruits　thereof；　and　when　he　hath　openly　testified
that　he　hath　fully　paid　the　tithes　＇and　other　dues＇　according　to
the　laws　of　Moses；　let　him　entreat　God　that　he　will　be　ever
merciful　and　gracious　to　him；　and　continue　so　to　be　to　all　the
Hebrews；　both　by　preserving　the　good　things　which　he　hath　already
given　them；　and　by　adding　what　it　is　still　in　his　power　to　bestow
upon　them。

23。　Let　the　Hebrews　marry；　at　the　age　fit　for　it；　virgins　that
are　free；　and　born　of　good　parents。　And　he　that　does　not　marry　a
virgin；　let　him　not　corrupt　another　man's　wife；　and　marry　her；
nor　grieve　her　former　husband。　Nor　let　free　men　marry　slaves；
although　their　affections　should　strongly　bias　any　of　them　so　to
do；　for　it　is　decent；　and　for　the　dignity　of　the　persons
themselves；　to　govern　those　their　affections。　And　further；　no　one
ought　to　marry　a　harlot；　whose　matrimonial　oblations；　arising
from　the　prostitution　of　her　body；　God　will　not　receive；　for　by
these　means　the　dispositions　of　the　children　will　be　liberal　and
virtuous；　I　mean；　when　they　are　not　born　of　base　parents；　and　of
the　lustful　conjunction　of　such　as　marry　women　that　are　not　free。
If　any　one　has　been　espoused　to　a　woman　as　to　a　virgin；　and　does
not　afterward　find　her　so　to　be；　let　him　bring　his　action；　and
accuse　her；　and　let　him　make　use　of　such　indications　（24）　to
prove　his　accusation　as　he　is　furnished　withal；　and　let　the
father　or　the　brother　of　the　damsel；　or　some　one　that　is　after
them　nearest　of　kin　to　her；　defend　her　If　the　damsel　obtain　a
sentence　in